Senior Project Manager

Senior Project Manager

Job Description

McCann Birmingham is part of McCann, the UK’s largest integrated agency. Over 800 individuals working together to help brands play a meaningful role in people’s lives.

We are also part of McCann Worldgroup, a global agency network that delivers culture-shaping work for some of the world’s biggest brands.

And to add to the (literal) wheelbarrow full of awards we’ve got including Euro Effies most effective global agency, Cannes Network of the Year, Campaign’s European Integrated Agency of the Year, not to mention McCann Central’s haul of awards in recent years at Cannes Lions, Clios, One Show, D&AD, LIAs, Golden Drum & Creative Circle Awards. So creativity really is at the forefront of everything we do.

We’re a team of passionate creatives, strategists and marketers from a wide mix of backgrounds. But there’s a lot that unites us – like caring deeply about everything we make. And though our skillsets are wide and our process knowledge is deep, we are all still learning every day.

As a Senior Project Manager you will be handling multiple top tier projects to ensure consistency and quality of delivery. Managing the campaigns from the start to finish, you will umbrella the whole project working closely with all disciplines and agency partners. You will be client facing, with ownership and responsibility for timings, scope of work, staffing plans, budgets and logistics, becoming the trusted face of delivery. You will refine process, become the backbone of every project and be the client operations expert on every account.

Minimum Requirements:

Proven experience in scoping, planning, and delivering projects, including detailed timing plan and project manager tools.

Strong client-facing experience, with the ability to speak up and push back when necessary.

Excellent communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.

Experience managing and mentoring junior project managers in an agency environment.

Strong financial control and the ability to manage project budgets effectively and provide updated to leadership team.

Familiarity with both online and offline production, and experience working with external agencies.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead forward planning and set up & leading ignition meetings, ensuring all actions and timelines are clear.

Collaborate with Account Handling and discipline leads to manage client scope and work with multiple agency partners.

Produce fee estimates, scope of work documents, and manage project budgets and timelines.

Create and track accurate timing plans, ensuring alignment across teams and experience in using project management tools.

Coordinate resource bookings and ensure creative review meetings are on time with clear deliverables.

Manage client expectations and ensure communication is consistent and transparent.

Promote and follow internal processes to keep projects on track and resolve conflicts quickly.

Oversee project financials, track time, and ensure accurate reconciliation.

What you need to have under your belt:

Ability to contribute to the development and execution of creative work

Proactive with a ‘can do’ attitude and solution focused

Well organised and efficient

An enthusiastic team player with the energy to take responsibility for the core team

Strong Project / Program Management experience

The ability to anticipate and proactively manage projects

Planning and process optimization

Knowledge of both online and offline production

Ability to work with external agency partners

Willingness to learn and develop with the core team

Strong financial control

Previous experience in an agency environment

Benefits

In addition to a competitive salary, we are committed to creating a brilliant environment for all our people. This includes benefits such as 28 days holiday, plus the opportunity to buy more holiday, enhanced pension contributions, life assurance and much more.

A culture of learning and development is also central to our ethos, so you’ll have access to industry leading training and development programmes, plus you’ll get to work closely with the world’s biggest media partners to access exclusive features and products.

Most importantly, you’ll be part of a fun and collaborative team and you’ll work in an environment where you are supported and developed.

If you want to join an iconic network agency that offers you the chance to work on one of the top clients in our portfolio & the opportunity to progress your career with an unrivalled development programme, contact us now. And not through a recruiter, please.

Our commitment to equal opportunities

For us, diversity is a business imperative – one that must be embedded into every aspect of how we operate to drive success. Simply put, we believe an encouraging and inclusive environment makes sound business sense.

As a globally integrated community that influences and shapes culture, it’s vital that the talent mix in our agencies encompass all dimensions of diversity, and that we demand the same of the people we work with.

Conscious inclusion encompasses social, cultural, and cognitive differences and cultivates an ethos of belonging, connection, and shared purpose. It is the integration of this philosophy that allows us to create meaningful experiences for our employees, drive better business practices with our vendors and clients, and ultimately lead with purpose.

McCann is a disability confident committed employer and will guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets the minimum criteria for this role, so please do let us know when you apply, via your cover letter, if you are eligible, along with any adjustments you may need to the recruitment process to enable you to perform at your best.